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Ian Kelly
Ian Kelly, a.k.a. Quick-Strike, is a character created and played by Leo_G in the Superhero 101 roleplaying thread and in the MMORPG City of Heroes. Appearance Ian appears, during his high school years, as a slim yet toned youth who always carries a dark red wooden sword, or bokken, tucked in his belt. He wears a blue headband tied over his forehead that he treasures and always has on his person. His clothes vary from time to time, either wearing his school uniform with a black suit coat, his dark gi for class activities or his off-white gi for training. He also has a burn scar on his right arm that he covers up with his training hand wraps. When he is out on hero business, Ian dawns a small mask to conceal his identity and becomes the Valiant Virtuous Quick-Strike...but it isn't too difficult to find out his true identity, seeing as he attends the famed Golden Eagle High School for in-training superheroes. Personality Although Ian is most often confidant in his own abilities, he is in constant rivalry with any of his peers that are meta-human in order to stay on top and always be the best for fear that his lack of super powers might lead to him being underestimated. He also inherited a samurai's sense of honor from his teacher and will not attack an unarmed or unwilling opponent (having super powers he considers being armed). Abilities Ian was born with a unique psychological or neurological thought processes such as someone with Synesthesia or Eidetic memory. In Ian’s case, he is capable of extremely fast thought processes and the ability to learn quickly if allotted the effort to. Because of this, Ian can speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean but not read it (his time in East Asia was mostly in the country/mountainous areas with little of the written language available to him) and read Spanish, German, Italian and a few other European languages but not speak it (his mother sent books written in this language and he deciphered them himself). His learning/thinking abilities spread to other applications to make him, simply put, the Megaman of natural skills. If given the chance, Ian could analyze and understand the workings of someone’s abilities and then surpass them by discovering how to use the ability himself and incorporate it into his own style. Language of Battle During his training with his primary instructor, Ryjuta Inou, Ian traveled around Eastern Asia, studying under martial arts masters who were also colleagues of Ryjuta. It was his intent to teach Ian the legendary Language of Battle, an ancient power only obtainable through birth. It is believed some of the revered tacticians, kings, generals and warriors of the past knew such a language and this is why they were so powerful. To know this language, one must know conflict and how and when to adapt. Although Ian didn’t master all the different forms of combat he experienced, it did allot the chance to take part in battle and understand more and more the rudimentary act of conflict itself. This gives Ian a seemingly precognitive sense in battle and coupled with his quick thought process, the ability to dodge attacks before they are even launched. His experience in the martial arts also makes him an extremely capable fighter. Surpass Human Potential A training regimen and mind-set; once mastered, a human can surpass what is deemed humanly impossible. A man can move faster than a speeding arrow, lift heavy boulders or withstand devastating attacks with this training. Passed down by the late martial arts master Cheng Sun, Ian trained under him along with his first rival and current friend Jin Lei. Normally it takes a whole lifetime to fully master it but Ian and Jin Lei did it in a few years. Master Cheng, himself a master of kung-fu, was capable of making himself dozens of times faster than a human, allowing him to run along walls and over water. He was stronger than 50 men and could make his skin seem stronger than metal. Jin Lei and Ian cannot do this currently because their bodies are yet fully grown but it is possible they could surpass their instructor in every way. Currently, Ian is simply stronger than an average teenager, more stamina than a normal youth and able to recover from injuries that would normally take a person weeks in half that time. One technique learned from Master Cheng is the ability to Focus ones inner chakra. Your spirit flares to life, burning brighter than normal for an instant, giving you super human senses, strength and speed for a short time. It’s like drawing all your strength and senses you’d have for the next several years and focusing it into a tiny moment. The stress this causes on the body, however, is similarly as if you muted your senses and strength for several moments afterwards. Elemental Affinity An ancient Chinese spiritual technique mastered by his teacher Ryjuta. These abilities let anyone commune with the pure elements of the world. Once fully mastered, one can communicate with and direct the elements of wind, water, fire, earth and lightning like a conductor would an orchestra. To obtain such affinity, one must gain full control of mind, body and spirit to alter the level of inner chakra to that of each element. Ian has yet to master this and most likely never will as his path has lead him to that of chaos and discord between his body, mind and spirit which will ultimately force him to lose his communing abilities entirely. However, currently, Ian’s rudimentary skills let him perform feats most would think super-human and yet they are possible by any who has trained. *His affinity to wind allows him to create unnaturally strong bursts of winds with his sword. It also allows him to change direction in mid air. *Ian is capable of communing with water, allowing him to walk on water as well as ‘move’ water along its natural path, so water traveling along the path of gravity can be accelerated faster. *His ability to communicate with fire allows him to lower the heat of a conflagration in a way that may cause him less injury. *Ian’s affinity with the earth is minute, but it’s possibly the reason he can crush stones with a wooden sword. *Ian has little to no knowledge of the element of lightning, as it isn’t as common as the other elements. The extent of his commune with it is to get ‘less shocked’ when he is zapped by directing the energy into his sword rather than himself. Katana skills Unlike his empty hand fighting abilities, Ian’s skill with a katana are super-human, crossing the border of being a master. This is thanks to his skilled teacher and Ian’s ability to incorporate other styles into his to form a more versatile kenjutsu of his own creation. Ian uses all known styles of katana combat, including all forms of Shinkendo, Battojutsu and Iaijutsu. On top of that, Ian has learned special techniques with a sword only possible after mastering a katana. It is yet known if he has learned all of them but the ones he has used are: *'Sting of the Wasp (SotW)'- Focusing all your strength and power into a single strike, accentuated by the quickness of drawing the blade. Although it may seem like a simple Iaijutsu, it is in fact, one of the strongest attacks he has and incorporated in nearly every other subsequent technique. *'Divine Avalanche (DA)'- A unique technique of kinetic manipulation that Ian created himself. Using the ability to sense and redirect physical force that he learned from his previous rival Hyun-ki, Ian can connect his sword with the attack of an opponent and through acute sword control, apply an obscene amount of strength behind his weapon in a manner that will reflect some of the foe’s force back and nullify even a super strength blow. It is also possibly why he can strike or block things that would normally shatter a weapon yet not break his katana or splinter his bokken. *'Soaring Dragon (SD)'- Is another use of SotW. Rather than swing horizontally or diagonally, this technique uses the entire body to perform a strong upward strike. Often used as a counter attack because of its low center of gravity, it can send a foe flying or open them up to another attack. *'Flashing Steel (FS)'- Another version of SotW, yet using the sword in a wide dramatic swing coupled with the speed of motion. Capable of slicing through multiple foes, the strength of its strike is not diminished on any one foe. *'Golden Dragonfly (GD)'- It is yet unknown if Ian has truly mastered this technique. GD incorporates all of the techniques before it, striking the enemy dozens of times in the span of a second. On the mission to recover Tin Mage’s schematics, Ian performed the Golden Dragonfly technique on Iron Mage, however due to his injuries was only able to use '3 wings' resulting in 3 strikes rather than the proper 100 strikes. Weapons During his training, Ryjuta put forth the task of gaining a branch of the legendary Tree of Destiny located high on a wilderness mountain. Alone, Ian waded through this unforgiving terrain for weeks and yet he was only 6 years old. Finally, Ian was able to find a branch of the blood-red tree and return to his master who then carved a wooden practice sword for him. After that, Ian began his study in Kenjutsu. This wooden sword, or bokken, Ian has kept with him since his childhood years and has grown a spiritual bond with it. It is said, just as a swordsman’s spirit, that wooden sword will not bend or break when faced with a difficult opponent. It has also been seen that, while it can catch fire, the sword does not burn. Once Ian proved himself worthy, Ryjuta put forth the next step in his training and had a real katana forged for him. Ian was instructed to focus on a particular emotion that he wanted to emphasis the weeks the metal was being folded. Observing the forging while pouring out your emotions is said to infuse that feeling into the sword. Most would think courage or diligence or even intelligence but Ian, being a young and foolish 7 year old, focused on fierce anger to make himself powerful. He dubbed his sword the Tiger Fang and it contains his anger and hatred. When it cuts, it is said to become hot when blood is shed on it. Relationships Often the rambunctious scrapper, ready to exhibit his skills and training, Ian behaves widely different with those he befriends and those he does not. He could go from being methodically self contained yet ruthless in his attack regarding unknowns to being bubbly and supportive with those he likes. And within his group of friends, he behaves even more differently with each one, becoming a protector or guardian to some yet ready to duel at the drop of a hat with others. A few examples are as follows: *Essex: Seen as a little sister by most, Ian has a tender spot for the little android, even giving her a ‘mood bunny’ plush toy that changes color given the mood you’re in when hugged. Although he protects her like a little sister, he often pushes her to be expressive with her feelings if only because he is constantly amazed how life-like she can be. *Susan: She would be the girl Ian would confide in because of how honest she is. Ian looks up to her as a big sister, if only because she offers advice he’s looking for, mainly how to speak and act with girls. *Billyboy: As a long time rival, Ian feels an irresistible urge to prove himself to Billy. With Billy’s ego and Ian’s quick temper, they often spark in quibbling and retorts. Despite their apparent conflicting personalities, they never truly fight each other and save their efforts for the evil doers of the world. *Sara Bastian: Although she is the school nurse and probably nearly twice his age, Ian was enthralled by her, outwardly courting her with gifts and flowers. After some discussion, Ian was dissuaded from further signs of affection but still thinks about her fondly. Acquaintances *'Sandra Kelly (mother)'- She owns a corporation called K-Tech industries that funds research and manufactures technology that incorporates magic known as Magi-tech. She has tried her hand at being a hero in Paragon, known as Magitech-Maiden, yet retired soon after for personal reasons. *'William Kelly (father-deceased)'- Was very absorbed in his work and was able to form K-Tech industry with the help of Lynn. When Ian was born, he turned his attention from research to corporate endeavors to provide for his family. Because of this, he was always emotionally distant from his son. After his death, he passed his business on to Ian but is temporarily run by his mother who is also a top researcher. *'Lynn (former caretaker)'- An asian looking man, Lynn cared for Ian since he was a baby and watched over him when he started training with Ryjuta Inou at age 3. This man was a close friend to Ian’s parents for a long time and yet continued to be mysterious despite their close relationship. He was also a top consultant of K-Tech. *'Ryjuta Inou (sensei)'- A famed hero himself, his skill and fighting prowess spread his name across east Asia as one of the strongest heroes of that hemisphere. He was approached by Lynn with the proposition of a student to pass on his knowledge. Only after a duel between himself and Lynn did Ryjuta accept. *'Jason Morgan (friend)'- Also goes by the name Jase, he was an orphan boy who, through a duel with Ryjuta, proved himself worthy of being a student of Ryjuta. He trained along side Ian for several years and built a bond with him. They share a mutual brotherly bond yet over time, Jase sees Ian in a more intimate perspective. He was expelled from Ryjuta’s training when he attempted to kill his master in his sleep and take Ian himself. Only after several more years did Ian meet Jase again in Paragon City with an arsenal of dark ninjutsu. *'Jin Lei (friend/rival)'- A young chinese girl who was training under Master Cheng Sun. During his training, Ian studied under Cheng with Lei and underwent much body conditioning. Lei is a master martial artist, her fists and kicks far more potent than Ian’s. When it came to hand-to-hand combat, she’d beat Ian almost every time. Frustration and jealousy goaded Ian to begin calling her ‘Tom Boy’ because she was a tough girl that fought like a scruffy boy. She is also very educated, with extensive knowledge of anatomy and medicine. With this, she uses special pressure point techniques that, coupled with spiritual balance, have devastating effect to even super power beings. *'Master Cheng Sun (sensei-deceased)'- An old master who once trained Ryjuta. Cheng is the master of a technique to expand human potential; moving faster, striking harder and a healthy body that recovers quickly. Coupled with his mastery of many martial arts, he was devastating if crossed. It’s not fully known but Jase managed to assassinate Cheng. *'Hyun-ki (friend/rival)'- An enigmatic youth, Hyun-ki is a master of the Shaolin arts. He is also the descendant of a mysterious clan who wield the ability to manipulate kinetic force in a manner that is super human. Although he is only 4 years older than Ian, Hyun-ki is extremely well educated and spends most of his time at home, a monastery in Tibet, educating those that migrate there and instruct those that seek training. Ian encountered Hyun-ki with Lei when the two were on the run from a demon army. The 3 of them together fought off the army and saved much of east asia from an impending invasion which was taking advantage of the void the Rikti left behind. History After Ian’s birth, Lynn took it upon himself to care for the infant while Sandra and William continued to run their new business. Sandra was very distraught being away from her child but Will was determined to provide for his family. With the dangers of the Rikti’s approach, Lynn suggest they put Ian in the care of a strong guardian. Sandra refused but eventually came to terms when she discovered a talent her son had; he was able to learn at an extremely accelerated rate, capable of counting and reading by the time he was 1. Lynn expressed all he could learn from a skilled hero as well as being safe from danger so Sandra finally allowed it. Lynn confronted Ryjuta, who was more eager to fight the rikti. In a duel to force the defeated to yield, Ryjuta began to see the potential of training a student in these troubled times and stopped the fight before defeating Lynn. At the age of 3, Ryjuta was Ian’s caretaker with Lynn watching over his wellbeing. Ian continued his training until he was 14 before putting a pause on it to continue his education. During all this time, his parents kept in contact, sending him letters and books from around the world. Several times a year, William would also fly to Ian’s training grounds to visit and go on trips together. Despite this, Ian still felt distant from his parents. The East Invade the East A sorceress known as Azure Storm, sought to take over the world, destroying all civilization so that nature can resume unimpeded through the use of an army of demon ninja known as the Tengu. Ryjuta and Master Cheng went to face the army head on while Ian and Jin Lei stayed away from the front lines where it was safe. Unknown to their teachers, it was Azure Storm's plan to occupy the masters with the larger fleet of demons while using her other demons to find a magic artifact that would transform all of east asia into deformed demons to create the largest army in the world and bring upon destruction to humans through forced war. Thanks to a tip from a mysterious kunoichi, Ian and Lei were informed of the witch’s plan and moved in to confront her. It was only through the help of a strong Korean teen, Hyun-ki, did they manage to push through the remaining army, confront Azure Storm and thwart her plan. With the destruction of the magic artifact, Azure Storm angrily sought the 3 kids to punish them with servitude. Using a powerful curse, the witch cast a spell to transform the 3 into cats that would be forced to bend to her every whim. Ian, however, intercepted the spell using his katana and saved his friends at the cost of himself. Ian was turned into a tiger who would have served the witch had Lei and Hyun-ki not escaped with him quickly. After all the armies were bound and banished, Ian turned back to normal, unknown that his sword ‘cut’ the curse. The Tiger loses a Fang A cabal by the name of Jean was tasked to bring an invasion of Fir Bolg to Lakeview by use of a Planar Link Seed which could open portals and bring together planes of existence that were otherwise impossible to do through any normal means. Although her task to bring Fir Bolg to the city succeeded, her plans to bring back her dead husband by sacrificing the student, Mallory, was thwarted by Ian, Richard, Rachel and Prof. Banvard. Through their efforts, the Fir Bolg were banished and Mallory was saved yet, as the portal was closing, Ian’s Tiger Fang katana was sucked in, banishing his katana along with the pumpkin headed monsters. Later, he found with his katana banished to some other plane, Ian had trouble controlling his mind, body and spirit. He would have fits of anger and even transform into a tiger form that he had experienced years before. Thinking it was the result of his lost katana, Ian did everything he could to get that sword back, putting aside his inhibitions and morals.